Protecting Workers and Communities Across California Through Research, Education & Policy
The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) brings together faculty and staff on the Davis, Berkeley, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Irvine campuses of the University of California to:
1. Develop new knowledge related to occupational and environmental health issues
2. Educate future leaders in occupational and environmental health
3. Bring the resources of the University of California to people affected by health hazards in their workplaces or communities
These three core activities are grounded in a multi-campus, multidisciplinary approach to problem solving based upon teamwork and training in medicine, nursing, public health, and related fields.
UC Davis COEH (UCD COEH) builds on these core areas through its research with an eye on translating science into action. UCD COEH provides graduate education in occupational and environmental epidemiology, occupational medicine, toxicology, agricultural engineering/ergonomics, clinical occupational health services for the public (Medical Surveillance), and research in occupational and environmental health.
At its inception, COEH made a commitment to deliver university services directly to the public. This is accomplished through a labor and community education program, a continuing professional education program and clinical services.
A Legislative Mandate for Worker Health
COEH at UC Davis Finds Its First Home
Assembly Bill 3414, chapter 1245, section 50.8 of the Labor Code established COEH on September 27, 1978. This legislation required the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) to develop a long range program to train personnel and conduct research in occupational and environmental health and medicine.
DIR established academic centers at the University of California to train occupational physicians and nurses, toxicologists, epidemiologists, and industrial hygienists. Additionally, DIR set up these centers to serve those injured on the job, and research the causes, diagnosis, and prevention of workplace illness.
In 1988, Dr. Marc Schenker became COEH Director at UC Davis (UCD). UCD COEH was originally housed under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research. In 1995, Dr. Schenker became Chair of the Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine in the School of Medicine, which absorbed COEH via the Center for Health and the Environment. UCD COEH also established a Medical Surveillance program to provide clinical occupational health services to the public.
In 2024, the university appointed Peter James, ScD as UCD COEH Director. Dr. James comes from Harvard University with extensive experience teaching and conducting large, prospective cohort studies. Read more about Dr. Peter James.
